P.N.G. Gossip Newsletter - 26 Jul 2004

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PNG Gossip Newsletter Meri Milne Bay

Welcome to the

Papua New Guinea Gossip Newsletter


A very special welcome is extended to any new readers. If you have comments or suggestions to make then please use the contact form

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PNG Gossip Blog

 

 

 

Neo Melanesian

"Pidgin English"
Tok Pisin English
yet yet
yia year
yis yeast
yu / yupela you
yu mekim wanem? what are you doing?
yumitripela we (three incl)
yumitupela we (two incl)
yumitupela you (three)
yumitupela you and I
yunivesiti / univesiti university
yusim use
yutupela you (two)

 

 

Remember that this mailing list is mainly meant for people who have an interest and already know a little bit about the people and geography of Papua New Guinea. The PNG Kina, which is mentioned from time to time in this newsletter, is currently worth around 29.75 - 30.25 United States cents but varies on a daily basis.

If you are really keen on finding out what the Kina is worth a currency converter for most world currencies can be located at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/moni.html

Want to find out more about Papua New Guinea? Try searching at http://www.michie.net/pnginfo and http://www.michie.net/png_faqs. The PNG Business and Tourism Directory located at http://www.pngbd.com is also an excellent place to look for PNG information.

For those who are not so familiar with the geography of Papua New Guinea I suggest taking a look http://maps.expedia.com and then click on the find a map option. Go to this link for a quick start to a link to a map of Port Moresby. http://www.michie.net/pnginfo/pom-map.html

Also remember that the accuracy of the information in this newsletter should not be relied upon - it is, after all, a gossip newsletter.



Links

Living Water Mission



http://www.livingwatermission.org/About_Papua_New_Guinea.htm -- The Living Water Mission is based in Sewetaitai Bay on Normanby Island, Milne Bay Province.



Australian Papuan Web Site



John Ambrose a Web Page Designer at Noble Multimedia Technologies has said that the Australian Papuan Web Site can be found at -- http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/sony/APC.htm -- but remember that this site is under construction.



Global Fund



Last issue there was some confusion over the amount of money that the Global Fund was going to provide to help fight HIV in PNG. Steven Borge has provided the following links so that you can check all details at the Global Fund website:

http://www.theglobalfund.org

Specific information about the PNG proposals is found at:
http://www.theglobalfund.org/search/portfolio.aspx?lang=en&countryID=PNG

For malaria, the 2-year amount is budgeted at USD6.1 million, for HIV the 2-yr budgeted amount is USD8.5 million.



Miscellaneous PNG Websites



- Kenmore group of companies -- http://www.kenmore.com.pg
- Markham Group -- http://www.markham.com.pg
- Milne Bay Estates -- http://www.mbe.com.pg
- National Research Institute -- http://www.nri.org.pg
- PNG Instituite of Medical Research -- http://www.pngimr.org.pg
- PNG Poetry -- http://members.cruzio.com/~png/prev.html
- Seeto Kui -- http://www.seetokui.com.pg

A parody of Waltzing Matilda called kai kai the buai can be found at -- http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/Kai.html



Internet Service Providers



- Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
- Data Nets -- http://www.online.net.pg
- Datec -- http://www.datec.com.pg
- Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg



Computer Companies in PNG



- Able Computing -- http://www.able.com.pg
- Comserv Computer Centre -- http://www.comserv.com.pg
- Daltron -- http://www.daltron.com.pg
- Data Nets -- http://www.datanets.com.pg
- Datec -- http://www.datec.net.pg
- Global Technologies -- http://www.global.net.pg
- Remington Technologies -- http://www.remington.com.pg



Stationery Suppliers



- Theodist -- http://www.theodist.com.pg -- Theodist also sell Magellan GPS Systems.



Scanning



- Professional Scanning Services - ProScan Ltd -- http://www.proscan.com.pg



Communication



- ConXions -- http://www.conxions.com.pg -- (also Ericssons PNG)
- PNG Telikom -- http://www.teklikompng.com.pg
- PNG Pacific Mobile Communications -- http://www.tiare.com.pg
- PNG Telecommunications Authority -- http://www.pangtel.gov.pg
- RAD-TEL Communications sales and Services -- http://www.radtel.com.pg
- PACOM -- http://www.prosec.com.pg
- Alcatel (Now owned by PACOM -- http://www.alcatel.com.pg)



 

News Items

Kiwi Ball



The Kiwi ball is held every two years and is probably one of the biggest social events in Port Moresby. The Kiwi Club goes all out to put on a spectacular night including bringing up artists from New Zealand. This year they are bringing in a 4-piece band from Auckland and a solo artist out of Hamilton. It is being held on 4th of September 2004.



Lae Dental Caravan



The Rotary Club of Huon Gulf and Lae have donated a mobile dental caravan to the division of health in Morobe recently. The caravan was presented to the deputy Morobe governor at the Lae district office. The caravan was made possible by the two Rotary organisations in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Aspley in Queensland, Australia and Rotary International in USA.



Hiri Moale Festival



A fund raising event was held on the 16th of July at the Grand Palace Restaurant to raise funds for the coming Hiri Moale Festival. Several local bands played and a single piece of art telling the story of the Hiri was auctioned off. Many corporate customer sponsored tables at K1500 at table.



Goroka Roadwork



Roadwork is progressing along the main road from Lae. The road has been raised and is now being resealed. Much work has been carried around the Ela Motors corner and it will progress on past the World Trade Centre to the market. Meanwhile the rest of the roads in town especially the road to the University of Goroka continue to deteriorate. Major works have been carried out at the airport and the strip is now seeing Air Niugini Fokker F28's at least twice a week. The runway has also been extended by an additional 250 metres.



Sogeri Cowboys



Police, at Sogeri in Central province, have taken to horseback to conduct community awareness programmes. The use of horses is seen as being less expensive than trying to do the same thing using vehicles. The police have three horses that have also been a boost to police moral. Apart from community awareness the horses are being used along parts of the Central province end of the Kokoda trail that leads to Northern province (Oro).



Pepino Fruit



The National Agriculture and Research Institute is experimenting with Pepino fruit (Solanum murcatum). Pepino dulce in Spanish means "sweet cucumber" and it is related to potato and tomato. Pepino has been in PNG for about 11 years and the fruit comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, colour and quality. The fruit is similar in size to a duck egg and the flavour is something like rock melons; watery and pleasant flavoured but normally not over sweet. Pepino has been grown well at Aiyura and Enga. It has also been introduced in the Baining Mountains in East New Britain.



ICCC Vehicle Review



What happened to the review being conducted by the ICCC (Independent Consumer and Competition Commission) that was looking into the price being charged by PMVs (Public Motor Vehicles) and taxis? It was mentioned in February / March of this year at about the time the function was to be returned to the ICCC from the National Lands Transport Board but I have not heard of any result. The majority of taxis around Port Moresby are operating without any meters although Scarlet taxis have meters and radios. Many of the PMVs travelling along the roads are unroadworthy and when the police have a roadblock many of the PMVs simply go into hiding until the roadblock is moved somewhere else.



Scarlet Taxis



Scarlet Taxis are becoming popular for taxi users in Port Moresby. The company is 100 percent nationally owned and has been in operation for five months. The taxis are popular amongst expatriates and working class people because the cars look clean and presentable from the outside and inside and offer a metered service around town. All the drivers are non-smokers and do not chew betel nut and drink beer. The taxis also are hooked back to base via radio.



Moresby Arts Theatre



Ray Murphy the former lighting and sound manager at the Moresby Arts Theatre (MAT) has donated K40,000. Ray, from the United States Embassy is leaving PNG shortly and heading for Thailand as the vice-consul. MAT is over 90 years old and has grown due to the hard work of many volunteers over the years. Mr Murphy will be given the title of "life patron" in recognition of his donation.



Olympic Games



Swimmer Ryan Pini is competing in the Brisbane (Australia) Swimming Association Winter Short Course Swim Competition before heading off for the Olympic Games. PNG's 100 metre running champion, Mae Koime, and 400 metre hurdler, Mowen Boino, have flown out for the Olympic Games. The two have been given wildcard entries in the Games and will compete in lead up races in London. Apart from Ryan Pini the only other PNG athlete to qualify for competition in the Games is weightlifter Dika Toua. Both Ryan and Dika will be farewelled at a function to be held at the Lamana hotel in Port Moresby on the 4th of August.



Aussie Rules



Mal Michael, playing for Brisbane in the Australian Football League (AFL) competition has just played his 150th game in the AFL. The 27-year-old player was born in PNG but played for Melbourne team Collingwood before moving to Brisbane to play with the Brisbane Lions.



Wapenamanda Airport



Air Niugini has resumed flights to the recently reopened Wapenamanda Airport in Enga province. Work has started on upgrading the airport to international standards. Currently the Gold mine at Porgera (Enga Province) is using the airport at Kagamuga (MT Hagen - Western Highlands province) for charter international flights and the Governor of Enga says it would be beneficial to use one based in the province. The Governor has called on the other airline operators to return to the airport to help serve the people of his province.



PNG's Oldest?



Is Urenone, a 103 old great great grandmother from Central province, the oldest person in PNG? She is now incapable of walking and talking and has lost much of her sight but still manages to maintain a clear mind. Even if she isn't the oldest in PNG she is probably the oldest woman living along the Magi Highway.



Salvation Army



The Salvation Army will now be able to extend its primary health and education program for the next three years thanks to funding from AusAID valued at K6 million. The program is intended for rural Central, Eastern Highlands and Oro provinces. This brings the total of AusAID funding to the Salvos to K11 million. AusAID has said that the program by the Salvos demonstrated strong community involvement and partnership in supporting preventative and holistic approaches to primary health care issues.



Hold-up Perpetrator



Once again a person trying to hold up someone has been bashed to death by security guards and bystanders. This time it was a Grade 5 student armed with a gun attempting to hold up a driver of a vehicle. The unconscious 15-year old boy was taken to Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae but died soon after.



Namatanai



Rotary Against Malaria in PNG and the Health Department in the Namatanai district will distribute mosquito nets costing over K180,000 to more than 25,000 people in the district. The MP for Namatanai, Byron Chan, said that malaria is very high in the province and the nets would help to reduce the number of malaria cases in the area this in turn would help to reduce the workload at health centres and rural aid posts in the area.



St Joseph's Catholic Church



The St Joseph's Catholic Church in Boroko is undergoing renovation. The original building is over forty years old. Workmen have been seen busily ripping out the side walls of the Church building so that the building can be expanded into the present car park area to accommodate the growing congregation.



Traditional Medicine



The Health Department is finalising a draft policy on traditional medicine practice in PNG. The issues they have had to consider are national strategies for development, promotion, and legislation, including protection of indigenous knowledge of traditional medicine. An inventory database of traditional medicine and medicinal plants has also begun.



Miss PNG Quest



The Rabaul Travel Lodge has entered a contestant in the 2004 Miss PNG Red Cross event. Julie Joseph, a 20-year-old volunteer with the East New Britain (ENB) Branch of the PNG Red Cross organisation, is the latest entrant in the quest. The ENB Red Cross branch has received positive indications from companies in the area that they will support Julie in the quest.



House Tambaran



A traditional East Sepik Haus Tambaran has been sold to a new owner in Melbourne, Australia. The National Museum and Art Gallery Board is behind the sale of the traditional building. The building has been dismantled and will be preserved by the new owner.



Constitutional Breach



It would appear that Parliament is in breach of the constitution because it has not and now cannot sit for the minimum number of days that it is supposed to in a parliamentary year. The current parliamentary year started on the 30th of July 2003 and is due to finish on the 29th of July. So far this parliamentary year parliament have only sat for 53 of the required 63 days. With less than 10 days to go it is impossible for parliament to meet the requirements of the constitution.



Coming Events



The fourth PNG International Film Festival will be held from the 30th of July to the 22nd of August. It is hoped that about 33 films will be shown in Port Moresby, Madang, Lae, Goroka, Kavieng and Wewak. Several overseas embassies are sponsoring the event as well as the Post Courier, The National and EMTV.

PNG Independence Day -- 16th September 2004.



Popondetta



The Popondetta Secondary School has received over K5 million worth of new buildings thanks to the European Union Human Resource Development Programme. The funding by the EU included science and technology classrooms, four staff houses, a mess, a kitchen, a dispensary as well as the upgrading and extension of existing buildings including the library, dormitories, classrooms, ablution block, laundries and the administration block.



Scientific Breakthrough



Does PNG hold a possible key to the fight against HIV/AIDS? Scientists at the University of PNG have discovered several plant proteins that could be used against HIV/AIDS. Master of Science students at UPNG are further investigating proteins, discovered by Doctor Clement Waine while he was completing his PhD research. It has been speculated that the plant produces the proteins as a defence mechanism against insects and microbial infections.



Air Fare Hikes



A villager from the Southern Highlands has expressed what all people in PNG have been thinking that the recent airfare hikes by Air Niugini are too much. The actual increase is a fuel surcharge levy introduced by many airlines to overcome the effect of increasing worldwide fuel prices. The villager is also a local tour operator who has said that the increases will make it more difficult for people to travel to the highlands.



Stolen Property



A 22-year old man received a five-year sentence imposed by the National Court in Kokopo for receiving stolen property. The man received 11 bags of cocoa worth almost K6,000 stolen from Garamut Pty Ltd. The man changed some of the bags holding the cocoa for new bags and then sold them in Rabaul. The presiding judge said that the court found that the prisoner had put a great deal of effort into the theft and the planning involved in changing the bags before selling the stolen goods.



University of PNG



The University of PNG Open College recently was awarded a prestigious international award. The award for excellence in production of distance education material was made by the Commonwealth of Learning as part of the Third Pan Commonwealth Conference on Open Learning. An independent international panel appointed by Commonwealth of Learning judged the winning institutions.



Kokoda Trail



It would appear that even the Kokoda Trail is not safe from loggers in PNG. Several villages along the trail have been offered large sums of money to sell their concessions to timber along the trail. Some villages have been offered between K10 and K20 million for their concessions, Community leaders from several villages along the trail have signed statements to say that they want to protect the trail from the loggers.



Airways Hotel



The Airways Hotel close to Jackson's Airport is going after a five-star classification. The hotel has embarked on an extensive program of refurbishment and development that will enable it to offer services that are amongst the best in the South Pacific. One of the attractions is a 1942 DC3 (Dakota) aircraft resplendent in Air Niugini Colours altered to become part of the bar and appropriately called the Dakota Lounge.






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-- THE END --

Some of the ways of saying "that's all" are courtesy of Liz and her friends at the University of Technology in Lae. http://www.unitech.ac.pg

If you can add to this list then please send email to PNG-News@pnggossip.com

 






Created 26 Jul 2004
Updated 6 Aug 2004

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